Floating discharge-pipe for hydraulic dredges.



A. W. ROBINSON. FLOATING DISCHARGE PIPE FOB. HYDRAULIC DRBDGES.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 12, 1913.

Patented July 21, 1914.

2 SHEETSSHBET 1.

QN \N Q3 N NN mwmx n aw mm wue nto'c Wane/mes A. W. ROBINSON. FLOATING DISGHARGE PIPE FOB. HYDRAULIC DREDGES.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 12, 1913.

1,1Q4,275, Patented July 21, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

THE :vcmzls PETERS ca. Wusumcrou, n. c.

and a resident of the city of Montreal,

UNITED STATES PATE T onnron ARTHUR WELLS ROBINSON, or MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA.

FLOATING DISCHARGE-PIPE ron HYDRAULIC nnnnens';

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ARTHUR l/VELLs Ron- INSON, a citizen of the Dominionof Canada,

county of Hochelaga, Province of Quebec, Domlnlon of Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Floating Discharge-Pipes for Hydraulic Dredges, of

which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying draw ings.

In apparatus of the class stated, as heretofore constructed, the discharge pipes have usually been of comparatively small size and have usually been used unclerconditions in,

which they were more or less sheltered against violent wave action and other destructive agencies, but in recent years the size and power 01": such apparatus have very vgreatly increased and the conditions under which submarine dredging is conducted are frequentlysuch as to expose the apparatus to very inclement conditions and it has been found that to meet the requirementsof the later day systems, much longer and stronger floats and discharge pipes are required'th'an heretofore and also that the connections between the several sections or floats heretofore used have been demonstrated to be comparatively useless in view of the enormous strains that are exerted upon them by such larger apparatus. It is the object of this present inventlon, therefore, to render more useful large-floats and large pipes carried by them and to better adapt them to work inrough' weather and to provide them with means whereby theirrelative movements or flexures are controlled and cushioned by elastic or non rigid devices so as to ease the strains that might otherwise cause rupture of some part and also to provide a spherical or so-called ball and socket joint connecting the separate'pipe sections provided with suitable packing by means of which a non-rigid connection is ob-- tained and leakage efiectively-prevented.

The above stated objects are secured by means of a suitably constructed pivotal connection between the several pipe sections and by providing the floats which support them with suitably constructed spring cushioned buffers and with certain strong chains which are likewise spring cushioned, which limit the extent to which the floats can be disalined. The ball andsocket joint between Specification LettersPatent.

'a peculiarly constructed packing whereby the joint is jtially so. j Thedrawings illustrate one form in which Patented July 21, 1914.. 1 Application filed July 12,1913. Seria1No. 7 78,644. Y x

thepipe sections rendered water tight by rendered watertight or-substairmy invention may be embodied and I re ggard 1t as a useful form, inasmuch asthe parts are: simple andvery durable in con struction and efl'icient in operation. l f j Figure 1 illustrates a plan view showingone section or float with its sectioniof dis- 1 charge pipe all complete and two adjoining I sections :broken :ofi Fig. 2 illustratesa ver-l compressingrod therefor being shown in elevation.

In'the drawings 1, 1, illustrate twolarge' hollow tubes which constitute the float. Their ends are of course closed by suitable heads. 2 ,isthe "discharge pipep- These tubes and 'thedischarge pipe supported by them are held in proper relative position to each other by heavy straps 3, 3, etc., which I are made to properly encirclethe float tubes and the discharge pipe by suitable clamps a provided with bolts 5 and tightening and clamping bolts 6, 6, These supporting de vices are usually supplemented by suitable the line 2i-2 of Fig.

of the adjoin- I ingfloat sect-ions; Fig. lillustrates avertibrace bars 7 which carry a-series of inverted horses 8 and by transversely arranged angle iron braces 9 which support longitudinallyconstruction may of course be varied as pre-' ferred.

Referring now to Fig. 3-which illustrates" the details of construction of the devices which allord elastic connection between'thefloat tubes, 11, 11, are castings firmly bolted to the outer sides of the float tubes. them is provided with a lug- 12 through which passes a bolt 13 supported upon a extending timbers 10, 10. These details of One of I spring 14. One end of thebolt is provided with an eye with which one end of a'chain 15 engages, the other end connecting witha lug 15 upon the-other casting 11 upon the end of the opposed float tube.x*When the floats are alinedwith each other the chains are slack and hang in a looped condition.

One of these castings is provided with a buffer head 16 which normally abutsv against a spring supported buffer head 17 inclosed within a suitable tubular structure 18 made" on the opposite casting within which there is a buffer spring 19. The head 17 which is supported upon the spring is guided during trate the ball and socket and spring cush- 1 ioned connection between the ends of adjoining pipe sections, '22 is a strong annular casting very securely bolted to the lefthand discharge pipe by bolts 23 and on its upper part is a raised portion 24: having a strong forward part .25 which is recessed as at 26 so as to receive a coupling link 27 which 18 provided with an eye on its end through whichpasses a coupling pin 28, and the interior of the casting 22 at its outer part is tapered as shown at 29 so as to afford the socket for the ball about to be described which is on the opposed end of the adjoining tube.

7 made parallel sided or truly cylindrical as shown at 30, so as to permit slight longitudinal movement of the ball within it, without changing the relation of the parts and near the outer edge of this socket there is cut a groove as shown, within which are con- 1 tained the following packing devices, a soft packing ring 31, next to it a split metallic compression ring 32 and outside of it a coinpressing band or rod 33 Which has an enlargement 3 1 (see Fig. 5)' at one end which engaging with the walls of the socket as shown holds that end rigidly in place, the other end after making a ring-like circuit terminating in a threaded end 35 provided with nut and jam nut 36 and 37 so that when these nuts are turned up tight, the draft upon the rod will cause the circle described by it to slightly contract and since this rod engages with and slips upon the surface of the split metallic ring or band 32, it is obvious that uniform and inward radial pressure will be brought to bear upon the soft,

packing 31, thus forcing it into tight contact with the outer surface of the ball which isabout to be described. 38 is an inner lining which I prefer to apply throughout the tubes in their lower are so as to take the wear. Referring to the ball construction which as stated is applied to the opposed end of the adjoining discharge pipe, it com prises a strong annular casting 3.9 bolted as This socket is for a short distance.

by bolts 40 to the end of the tube. I prefer in order to reduce weight to core out a hollow space l1 in this casting as shown in Fig. 4. Its outer surface which constitutes the ball of the ball and socket joint is of course given such dimensions and contour, prefer ably truly spherical, as to enable it to properly co-act with the socket on the opposed end of the adjoining tube. Immediately in rear of this ball is another strong casting 42 provided with an upwardly extending plate a3 through which there is an opening 14 for the passage of the shank of the link 27 which has near its end a strong washer or abutment plate 45 and is provided with nut and set nut 46 and 17 A spring 48 encircles the shank of the link and takes a bearing against the outer surface of the plate a3 and the inner surface of the washer or abutment plate 45. I prefer to employ duplex springs, one within the other, as shown, the smaller one 49 being of less power than the outer and larger one 48. I find this improves the cushioning effect.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: The link and pin connection between the ends of adjoining discharge pipes being superimposed over the center of the ball and socket joint, as clearly shown in Fig. 4., permits horizontal fleXure to the full extent of the movement for which the joint is designed and this fleXure is controlled and cushioned, thus avoiding destructive strains by the engagement of the spring buffers on the outer surfaces of the float tubes 1, 1, supplemented by the chains 15 which limit the degree of liexure; strain upon these chains is also further relieved by the cushioning spring 14 .(see Fig. 8) and the strains upon the link and pin connection of the discharge pipes are cushioned by the springs 18 and 19. Furthermore slight longitudinal extension of the floats and the discharge pipes well is permitted should strains be exerted in that direction because of the parallel or truly cylindrical portions 30, 30 of the socket through which the ball can move to such degree as may be necessary, without, however, disorganizing the structure and without materially occassioning leakage because the moment the parts are drawn together again by the action of the powerful spring or springs 18 and 49, then the packing of the ball will again effect water tight, or substantially water tight connection between. the ball and its socket. This construction like wise has the further important advantage that it permits vertical flexure as well as horizontal flexure to such extent as will be necessary even in a rough seaway and that this movement may be permitted without any jamming of the parts I ream out the eye in the coupling link 27 at top and bottom as shown in Fig. 2. If the packing should at any time fail to make a satisfactorily tight joint between the ball and its socket, then simple, inexpensive and effective means ,of

. that shown by me however.

sealing a joint of the character lie-re presented. It will be particularly noted that my improved construction is especially valuable in .ponderous apparatus of the class in ques{ tion because owing to the size and weight of the floats and discharge pipes, they are seldom removed from the water after once being launched. Therefore access to their under parts is practically precluded and by my construction the coupling and uncoupling of the several floats is a very simple, inexpensive and expeditious operation because all the connecting parts are above the water line and all that is necessary is to disengage the chains 15 and lift the coupling pin 28, whereupon the several float units become entirely detached from each other and the ball and socket construction is such that the ball may be drawn out endwise from the socket without any mechanical operation whatever.

It will be obvious to those who are familiar with this art that my preferred packing devices may be substituted by joint sealing devices of other constructions. I vastly prefer Also that the special construction of the floats illustrated by me is immaterial. Floats of other types or for that matter, more pontoons having the discharge pipes superimposed upon them or any other preferred form of float or support for the discharge pipes may be employed. Also in some instances it will be advisable to provide the floats with winches, anchoring, towing and such other appliances as aresometimes found useful. Indeed in certain situations it may be essential to provide the floats with the devices mentionedor others in order to properly locate and maintain the floats and the discharge pipes in proper position to do the work required of them.

I claim:

1. In a floating discharge pipe for dredges spring cushion bufl ers located near the outside corners of the adjoining ends of the floats adapted to engage with each other should the floats get out of alinement and chains to limit the degree of such disalinement. 7

2. In a floating discharge pipe for dredges spring cushion buffers located near the outside corners of the adjoining ends of the floats adapted to engage with each othershould the floats get out of alinement, chains to limit the degree of such disalinement and spring cushioning devices for the chains.

3. In a floating discharge pipe for dredges spring cushion buffers located near the outside corners of the adjoining ends of the floats adapted to engage with each other should the floats get out of alinement, chains to limit the degree of such disalinement, spring cushioning devices for the chains, and ,a pivotal connection between the floats comprising a link and pin connection superposed upon the upper surface of the adjoining ends of the discharge pipe sections carried by the floats.

j .4. A floating dischargepipe for dredges comprising a series of floats each supporting a sectionv of discharge pipe, a pivotal connection between the floats comprising a link and pin connection superposed upon the upper surface ofthe adjoining. ends of the discharge pipe sections, spring cushioning devices for the link, spring cushioned buflers at the lateral corners of the floats and chains to limit the disalinement of the floats.

5. A floating discharge pipe for dredges comprising a series of floats each supporta section of discharge pipe, a pivotal con-- nection between the floats comprising a link and pin connection imposed upon the upper surface ofthe adjoining ends of the sections of the discharge pipe, spring cushioning devices for the link, spring cushioned buffers at the lateral corners of the floats, chains to limit the disalinement of the floats and spring cushioning devices for the chains.

6. A floating discharge pipe for dredges ing a section of discharge pipe, a pivotal connection between the floatscomprising a link and pin connection imposed upon the upper surface of the adjoining ends of the sections of the discharge pipe, spring cushioning devices for the link, chains to limit the disalinement of the floats and spring cushioning devices for the chains.

7. In a floating discharge pipe for dredges, spring cushioned buffers located near the outside corners of the adjoining ends of the floats adapted'to engage with each other, chainsto limit the degree of disalinement, discharge pipe sections carried by the floats, and a pivotal connection between the floats supported upon the discharge pipe sections, whereby the said buffers are guided into en- .gagement with each other.

8. In a floating discharge pipe for spring cushioned buflers located near the outside corners of the adjoining ends of the floats adapted to engage with each other, chains to limit the degree of disalinement, spring cushioning devices for the chains, disa pivotal connection between the floats comprising a spring cushioned link and pin whereby the buffers are guided into proper engagement with each other and the strains reduced.

9. A floating discharge pipe for dredges comprising a series of floats each supportdredges, I

charge pipe sections carried by the floats and supported upon the discharge pipe sections,

comprising a series of floats, a section of discharge pipe supported upon each float, a pivotal connection between the floats comprising a link and pin connection superimposed upon the upper surface of the adjoin ing ends of the discharge pipe sections, spring cushioning devices for the link, spring cushioned buflers at the lateral corners of the floats, chains to limit the dis- 'alinement of the floats and spring cushion- 10 Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, 'by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

